Public Markets 3d Briefing
×Market Performance
US stocks bloomberg.com tumbled Monday as fresh AI concerns hit financials and software companies, while President Trump imposed a new across-the-board levy. The S&P 500 fell sharply, with tech giants struggling to reassure investors about AI's impact on their business models. Nvidia wsj.com bucked the trend, rising on strong sales that beat bubble fears with $68 billion in fourth-quarter revenue, though the broader market remained cautious about AI disruption.
South Korea's Kospi wsj.com gained over 40% this year, breaking above 6000 as semiconductor and auto shares led Wednesday's gains. Japan and South Korea hit record highs in Asia, with tech gains ahead of Nvidia's earnings driving market optimism. Meanwhile, Philippine peso bonds bloomberg.com are poised to extend their rally on interest-rate cuts, flush domestic liquidity, and attractive valuations.
Corporate Earnings & Tech Sector
Baidu bloomberg.com shares slid 20% over the past month as investors demanded tangible AI results, serving as a crucial reminder of the pressure on Chinese tech companies. Salesforce investing.com topped quarterly profit estimates as its AI push supported outlook, though the company projected revenue below Wall Street's expectations, causing shares to fall. Zoom bloomberg.com gave a weaker profit outlook while aggressively expanding its product suite, and CDK Global bloomberg.com reported a double-digit earnings decline as software fears grow.
Snowflake investing.com revenue jumped 30% on cloud and AI demand, while Digital Ocean investing.com surged on earnings beats and raised outlook. Synopsys investing.com beat estimates and guided in line with expectations. Enphase Energy investing.com received an upgrade on improving demand and margin, though Trade Desk investing.com slid after Q1 revenue outlook missed estimates.
Mergers, Acquisitions & IPOs
Momentum Midstream bloomberg.com is exploring a sale that could fetch $5 billion, with En Cap Flatrock Midstream considering options for the gas pipeline company. EG Group ft.com plans to sell French forecourts to billionaire co-founder Zuber Issa, who will buy about 260 petrol stations as the business prepares for a US IPO. Oaktree bloomberg.com is exploring options for Utmost Group Plc, including a potential sale or London IPO of the UK wealth manager.
Blue Scope bloomberg.com said a revised takeover bid from Steel Dynamics and SGH Ltd. undervalues the company but remains open to better offers. Canada's moribund IPO market shows glimmers of hope with AGT and Apotex deals, while Coller Capital bloomberg.com agreed to buy $477 million of New Mountain BDC assets to boost financial flexibility.
Energy & Commodities
Saudi Arabia and Iran bloomberg.com are accelerating oil exports, adding barrels to global markets amid US military deployments in the Middle East. Oil edged higher before nuclear talks between the US and Iran, with major Middle Eastern producers boosting exports as conflict concerns create uncertainty. Gold bloomberg.com steadied as traders weighed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the impact of US tariffs on global trade.
LNG supply bloomberg.com is forecast to create a global glut that may weigh on prices, though demand growth remains strong according to Australia's biggest LNG producer. Core Lithium bloomberg.com sold a stockpile to Glencore, raising cash to support a potential restart of its Australian mine.
Financial Services & Banking
Allianz bloomberg.com plans to buy back as much as €2.5 billion in shares as CEO Oliver Baete returns excess cash to investors. Nat West bloomberg.com is in discussions to issue a significant risk transfer tied to commercial real estate loans ahead of a planned acquisition. The US corporate bond market is the most competitive ever, with strong demand creating record conditions across primary markets, according to Barclays.
US data center construction bloomberg.com fell for the first time since 2020 despite soaring AI computing demand, as developers face delays in permitting, zoning, and power connections. Data center deals bloomberg.com are forecast to top $100 billion as EQT's Vesely discusses AI infrastructure demand requiring over $3 trillion in investment.
International Markets & Policy
UK energy bills bloomberg.com will drop to the lowest in almost two years in April after the government moved part of renewable energy costs from household bills to general taxation. Portugal's EDP investing.com posted a 44% jump in 2025 profit. Spain's banks investing.com received upgrades as Deutsche Bank sees net interest income recovery and higher returns on tangible equity.
Thailand's baht bloomberg.com gains are likely among factors underpinning the Bank of Thailand's unexpected rate cut, according to analysts. The Hungarian forint rally to two-year highs is unlikely to be derailed by a potential interest rate cut, the country's first in over a year. Australian tech earnings bloomberg.com may temper AI disruption concerns as the sector shows steady gains amid global unease.
Private Credit & Alternative Investments
BDC with 2% software exposure bloomberg.com pitches itself as a 'safe haven' amid mounting concerns about loans to software companies. Tikehau's Chabran bloomberg.com weighs in on mounting private credit fears as warnings of rising defaults and AI-driven disruption rattle investors. Brookfield's CDK earnings drop signals struggles in the software sector as Wall Street scrutinizes AI's impact.
Jefferies Financial Group bloomberg.com was sued by investors in one of its funds over losses related to First Brands Group, a now-bankrupt auto parts supplier at the center of an alleged multibank fraud scheme. Coller Capital agreed to buy $477 million of New Mountain BDC assets as the private credit fund looked to boost financial flexibility.